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It was a crowded family hug, and I felt one of dad’s arms darting between us like he wanted to hold us all at once. His grip was firm, like he was reassuring himself that we were really here.
For a long minute, we just stood there, all of us holding each other, dad’s other arm never leaving mom’s waist. Selene was outright crying, and Fabrizio seemed willing to strangle dad to death if it meant never letting go of him again.
As for me, I was unashamed of the tears burning my eyes. There had been so much pressure, so much responsibility, so much fear. I had now learned how to carry that weight, but I still needed my dad. And now I had him.
Dad pressed his lips into Fabrizio’s hair, smiling at me as he cupped the back of my neck. I knew he knew what this had taken out of me, and he was thanking me for bearing with it. I hoped he knew I was thinking the same for him.
Selene, ever pragmatic, was the first one to pull back. Someone had to, after all, and it sure as hell wasn’t gonna be me. In fact, I was the last one to let go, but I did eventually concede. I was a grown man, I couldn’t hog all his attention when mom was still insistently pressing kisses to his jaw—the highest she could reach without heels on.
As I stepped back and watched them stare into each other’s eyes, speaking without words and fitting together with a quiet intimacy, my chest throbbed.
I’d thought about it before, but this was the first time I really, genuinely longed to have somebody look at me like that. To hold me and stand beside me, to encourage me and mourn with me, to cry and laugh and yell with me.
My parents had a bond, a soul-deep connection, and anyone who looked at them knew it instantly—I wanted that. I wanted, for the first time, to be part of a matched set. Not inseparable, not half of myself without the other, but to just belong next to someone.
I finally understood why dad didn’t want to retire until I had that someone. I would need her to stay sane, the same way dad needed mom. This experience had opened me up to the value of a partnership like that.
I wiped my cheek clear of the few tears that had leaked out, giving myself a moment to step back from the intense emotions of the day. Fabrizio turned and hugged me, and I hugged him back. Then I looked up and saw Lauren.
She stood away from us a few steps, respectfully giving us space, but she was flushed with triumph and beaming. There was so much joy on her face, so much light sparkling in her eyes.
Anyone could see how happy she was, how genuinely glad it made her to see us reunited, and how proud she was of her landslide win. She had her hands clasped hard in front of her like she was squeezing them together to mimic another person holding her, congratulating her, and I desperately wanted to do just that.
So, without thinking, I did.
Well, not quite. About one step away from her, my brain rebooted, reminding me who we were and where we are, so instead of embracing her and kissing her forehead like I longed to do, I stopped just short of her and held out my hand. She looked up at me, and we smiled at each other like idiots.
“Attorney Kylin,” I said, “excellent job. I knew trusting you with my father’s case was the right choice.” Her smile stretched even wider, enough that her cheeks probably hurt, as she slid her thin-boned hand into mine. Technically, it was a handshake, but the way the pads of my fingers lingered against her wrist said otherwise.
“I was honored to work with you,” she said, the epitome of professionalism. “Genuinely. I’m grateful you took a risk on me.”
I felt my grin start to morph into a debonair smirk, and I let it. “Oh, Ms. Kylin, you’re a woman worth risking things for,” I purred. Just like before in the restaurant, I got to watch with fascination as her pupils grew and her breath hitched.
Damn, praise really was a hot button for her, wasn’t it? Well, I was willing to compliment her as much as she liked, innocently or otherwise.
She giggled, taking her hand from mine. In retrospect, I’d probably held onto it too long to be professional, but I couldn’t say I wasn’t disappointed by the cold on my palm. She seemed reluctant to do it, too, though, so that was some consolation. “You flatter me, Mr. Marino,” she said, looking up at me through her lashes with a flirty grin.
“I’m pretty sure I told you to call me Richard,” I reminded, grin widening at her game.
“It’s important to always observe proper formalities in the courtroom,” she teased. “Mr. Marino.” God, that fucking minx.
Before my grin could turn any more feral, dad stepped up beside me and shook Lauren’s hand with two of his, smiling gratefully. “Thank you, Ms. Kylin,” he said genuinely. “I’m so grateful for your hard work.” Mom didn’t bother with the handshake, skipping the formalities and going straight for a hug. Lauren laughed, startled, but leaned down a little to make it easier.
“You’re both welcome,” she said. “I’m so glad to have been able to help you.”
“Well, congratulations on your first win regardless,” mom beamed. Lauren blushed, probably a little embarrassed to be congratulated by her own clients but happy nonetheless.
“Thank you,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”
Selene and Fabrizio thanked her as well, and then it was just the two of us again.
Thankfully, the interruption had cooled my inappropriate hunger a bit, so I was able to turn to her and ask as normally as I could, “So, what does a beautiful, successful young lawyer do to celebrate winning a big case?” I wanted to know if she was going to be spending the night alone, but I didn’t feel it was appropriate to ask outright just yet. We were no longer bound by a contract, after all, so while that opened up any potential relationship for us, it also meant I had to build rapport back up. I had to make sure she saw me as a potential lover and not just a flirty former client. Frankly, I wasn’t sure how to make that clear.
Lauren giggled. “Well, this lawyer is going to be enjoying some takeout sushi and the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice,” she said.
I raised a brow and made a mental note about how she liked nights in, even though I wished she’d do something a little more extravagant for herself. This was her first case, her first win, and it was a big one. She deserved a lot more than some grocery store sushi.
Well, I reminded myself, if she couldn’t afford a dinner at The Aria, she probably couldn’t afford a real celebration. That was alright, I could show her what she was missing once we got a little closer.
